On Tuesday, July 8, 2025, Ali Khurshidi, opposition leader of the Sindh Assembly, expressed profound dismay at the high-profile raid conducted by Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab on the Nipa Alfour Water Hydrant, accompanied by officials from the Karachi Water & Sewerage Corporation.

In a strongly worded statement, Khurshidi questioned the mayor’s focus on a single hydrant in a city of over 20 million residents. “Are we to believe that only two illegal hydrants are operational in this megacity?” he asked, highlighting the scale of Karachi’s water crisis and the apparent inadequacy of the response.

Khurshidi criticized the raid as a superficial move, pointing out that only low-grade employees faced suspension following the operation. “This so-called raid is a smokescreen targeting vulnerable workers,” he said, accusing Mayor Wahab of shielding senior officials.

“Why have the Hydrant Cell in-charge and senior Water Corporation officials escaped suspension for their criminal negligence?” Khurshidi demanded, alleging that the mayor lacks the resolve to hold supervising officers and department heads accountable.

The opposition leader also raised alarming concerns about financial irregularities at the KWSB. He claimed that the Water Corporation’s entire budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year was “squandered” due to the incompetence of the current CEO and COO.

“Billions of rupees are collected monthly from Karachiites, yet not a single rupee from last year’s budget was spent on improving the water system,” Khurshidi revealed, calling for a forensic audit to uncover the truth behind the alleged wastage of a Rs. 50 billion budget.